Dudelange, Schnauzelach

The Minett Trail is a 90-kilometer-long hiking trail that runs across the Minett region. In ten stages, you can experience smaller and larger towns as well as eight nature reserves. These impress with old forests and former open-pit mining areas. They are unique in Luxembourg due to the steep rock faces, the red earth, and mine entrances. On this section, you will hike through the huge "Haard - Hesselsbierg - Staebierg" nature protection zone; massive rock formations, red cliffs, and dense forests dominate this former lunar landscape. For decades, the precious "Minette" ore was mined here, which from the early 20th century until late in the 1980s made an essential contribution to the country's economic development. Within the nature reserve, the path passes by the longest continuous rock face in Europe, which also stands out due to its distinctive red color. Together with the exceptional biodiversity and nature in the "Haard-Hesselsbierg-Staebierg" reserve, this characterizes the strengths of this section. At the start in Rumelange, you will also find the Musée National des Mines, where you can participate in guided tours through the tunnels. Along the way, there are further witnesses to the industrial past: a slag tipping wagon (the "Humpen") and views of the former industrial area in Dudelange when arriving down from the nature reserve - with a view of the old water tower - stand out clearly. WARNING: Unfortunately, this stage of the Minett Trail is regularly subject to vandalism. We recommend downloading the GPX data before hiking as the markings are often damaged or removed.

The hiking route begins at the free parking lot at the Boulodrome. Here you can decide whether to start your route immediately into the green of the Haard-Hesselsbierg-Staebierg nature reserve or first explore the workers' district "Quartier Italien". The 7-kilometer circular route offers a lot of variety: from green forest, over open landscapes shaped by the open-cast mine, fields with poppies (between May and June) to red earth and rock walls. The highlight of the route is the Humpen, a former train wagon in the middle of nowhere in which slag was transported.

Why go looking for a new building when Luxembourg’s steel heritage has already provided an exceptional setting? The cultural centre of the City of Dudelange is located on the site of the former foundry (Op der Schmelz). The architecture alone is worth a visit, but the centre also hosts jazz concerts, a singer-songwriter festival, world music, contemporary theatre and children's shows. At Op der Schmelz there is something for the whole family!